Summer Brief: What interests me? ...Cocktails

cock·tail

Noun

An alcoholic drink consisting of a spirit or several spirits mixed with other ingredients, such as fruit juice, lemonade, or cream.
A mixture of substances or factors, esp. when dangerous or unpleasant in its effects.

http://www.pod-creative.com/projects/maxxium/#&slider1=1

As a bartender myself, I work with cocktails on a regular basis however since being behind a bar have developed a particular interest in the history and process of cocktail making. I hope to discover new things whilst researching cocktails that will not only aid the brief but will benefit me in terms of gaining more knowledge and understanding of how cocktails are created and executed.

History

A definition of cocktail appeared in the May 13, 1806, edition of The Balance and Columbian Repository, a publication in Hudson, New York, in which an answer was provided to the question, "What is a cocktail?". It replied:

Cock-tail is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters—it is vulgarly called bittered sling, and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion, inasmuch as it renders the heart stout and bold, at the same time that it fuddles the head. It is said, also to be of great use to a democratic candidate: because a person, having swallowed a glass of it, is ready to swallow any thing else.

The first publication of a bartenders' guide which included cocktail recipes was in 1862 — How to Mix Drinks; or, The Bon Vivant's Companion, by "Professor" Jerry Thomas. In addition to listings of recipes for Punches, Sours, Slings, Cobblers, Shrubs, Toddies, Flips, and a variety of other types of mixed drinks were 10 recipes for drinks referred to as "Cocktails". A key ingredient which differentiated "cocktails" from other drinks in this compendium was the use of bitters as an ingredient.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocktail

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119161653517750477.html

The first "cocktail party" ever thrown was allegedly by Mrs. Julius S. Walsh Jr. of St. Louis, Missouri, in May 1917. Mrs. Walsh invited 50 guests to her home at noon on a Sunday. The party lasted an hour, until lunch was served at 1 pm. The site of this first cocktail party still stands. In 1924, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis bought the Walsh mansion at 4510 Lindell Boulevard, and it has served as the local archbishop's residence ever since.

Mrs. Walsh had invited 50 guests to her house -- a mansion "equipped with a private bar" -- on a spring Sunday at high noon. Some guests came to the party straight from church; some had spent the morning in "a motor promenade of the boulevards." The party lasted one hour, the "interregnum preceding 1 o'clock dinner."

he Walshes were not the first to organize a party around an alcoholic beverage (and even before the first cocktail party so-called, the Walshes themselves had hosted a "baby party" at the St. Louis Country Club at which they and their friends dressed as toddlers and sucked cocktails out of baby bottles). The principal antecedent for the cocktail party comes from September 1890, when Mrs. Richard S. Dana introduced the concept of an "egg-nog party" in the society resort of Lenox, Mass., parties she would throw every autumn for years, when the goldenrod was in blossom. Following the lead of the Lenox "cottagers," it became the height of Gilded Age fashion to host a party around a bowl of eggnog.

The basics of making a proper cocktail.

Types of cocktails:

Cocktails can be separated into two main categories:

Short drinks typically contain between 6 to 12 cl. of liquids and tend to be consumed as a digestive drinks. These Short Drinks are strong and contain a lot of alcohol.
Long drinks typically contain between 12 and 25 cl. of fluids and can be enjoyed as aperitif or as a thirst quenching daytime beverage, as they are less strong than the short drinks.

Professional bartenders will divide the cocktail families much further and will use words like: collins, fizzes and flips, all of which will be discusses elsewhere on this site.

Cocktail preparation:

Although, in principle, all combinations are possible and the number of cocktail recipes is therefore nearing on infinite, there are some basic rules that need to be observed:

Combining 2 "bad" products can never come to a positive result.
Neither a short drink nor a long drink should contain more than 7 cl. of alcohol.
Never combine 2 types of "eau-de-vie" in one cocktail recipe. Never mix grain based spirits (gin, vodka, whisky) with a wine based spirit (cognac).
Dairy products like milk, cream and eggs do not combine well with fruit juices.
always follow the order of the cocktail recipe
It is wise not to mix more than 5 different ingredients.

Techniques:

By the glass: pour every ingredient directly into the glass and serve the cocktail after stirring it thoroughly. This technique is not efficient when serving a group of customers the same cocktail. In that situation we advise to use mixing glass or cup.
In a mixing glass or cup you can make more of the same recipe for several people which you can later cool by pouring it over ice cubes and stirring strong for no more than 10 seconds.
in a cocktail shaker: pour the ingredients over ice cubes. Close the shaker and shake it for about 10 seconds, after which you pour the mix into the glasses, using a strainer so that the ice will remain in the shaker. In a shaker it is more easier for the ingredients to blend resulting in a true emulsion. Sometimes an electronic mixer / blender can be used to grind the ice cubes.

Cocktail terminology

Twisting: Giving orange- or lemon-skins a short twist or squeeze over the cocktail. Depending on the type and taste of the cocktail you can add the skin to the mix, after twisting it.
Cooling: Placing the cocktail glass in a refrigerator for several hours or by placing a few ice cubes in the glass and rolling them around the glass for a few minutes. Remember to remove all of the residual water before adding the cocktail.
Rimming: moisturizing the rim of the glass with lemon- or lime juice and dipping the rim into regular or colored sugar, or salt, and twisting it until the rim is evenly covered.
Blending: Some drinks require the use of a blender. One should always blend the ice separately before adding the other ingredients and the liquids should be added last.
straining: After mixing or stirring the ingredients in a shaker, a strainer is required to keep the ice cubes from falling into the glass. Nowadays most cocktail shakers come with a build-in strainer. Remember not to use shaved or crushed ice, if you intend to use a strainer for serving.

Ice

Ice is the basis of almost all cocktails. Nearly every recipe calls for ice to be used to chill the cocktail.

The ice should as cold and as dry as possible, to prevent water from mixing with the cocktail too much. Ice cubes should always be taken directly from a freezer or kept in an isotherm ice bucket. When utilizing a shaker or a mixing glass, try to execute all the required steps as quick as possible so that the melting of the ice will be minimal. Use demineralized water, or low minerals water like evian, to make the clearest and cleanest ice cubes.

Crushed or shaven ice, which can be made by machines or by smashing ice cubes that are wrapped in a bar towel or other cloth, give faster cooling but also melt more quick, so only use shaved or crushed ice for long drinks.

http://www.cocktails.in.th/cocktail-basic-rules-of-preparation.html

If the above rules are followed, then cocktail making becomes as simple as mixing the correct ingredients and making sure presentation is at its best.

What a bartender needs to make cocktails

Required:

the shaker: There are some shaker that are made of 3 separate parts, with the middle part holding a fixed filter. Those shakers are not always as waterproof as they should be. Using a professional model like the Boston shaker is advisable. These shakers are made of 2 parts: the cup en a top with a filter aka the strainer. Metal shakers are preferred over the glass types.
a mixing glass with a long spoon, logically named a bar spoon.
an ice bucket
an ice tong
a fruit press
a cork screw that includes a small knife which can be used to remove lids.
a bottle opener
a fruit knife and plate

Additional tools:

a siphon with CO2 cartridge to make "fresh" soda water
a measuring jigger
a straw holder
a nutmeg grater
small plates (for rimming the glasses with salt or sugar)
a sugar sprinkler
a very thin & long knife to carve fruit for garnish and side decoration.
a bottle cap for opened wine of champagne bottles.
a can opener
an (electronic) mixer / blender.

The cocktail glasses:

The basic rule is that cocktail glasses should be transparent, colorless and unmarked, so that the beautiful colors of the cocktail get the appreciation they deserve. If so required you can use glasses with a colored foot or markings for exotic and refreshing long drinks.

Large foot glass
High Champagne glass
Cocktail glass
Big tumbler glass, straight, 30 - 50 cl.
Small tumbler glass, straight, 15 - 30 cl.
'old fashioned' glass, straight and large, like a whiskey glass.
small foot glass
balloon glass
Cognac glass
Glass with large ear or metal holder for hot drinks
Beer glass, straight or with a foot.

Types of Cocktails

Cobblers: Very refreshing cocktail, directly prepared in the glass, without a shake and with crushed ice. This low alcohol content drink is accompanied by chopped fruit and served with a straw or a spoon.

Collins: The perfect cocktail for summer. As they are served with lots of ice, sugar, lemon and soda, they are very refreshing. Collins cocktails are made with hard liquor, lemon juice, soda and sugar. Sometimes the schnapps is substituted by vodka, gin, whiskey, rum or tequila.

Coolers: Long and quite pleasant sips cocktail, with low alcohol content, that uses ice cubes instead of crushed ice. Moreover, they tend to be decorated by an spirally cutted orange or lemon peel.

Crustas: Cocktails served in a coup with a sweetened glass, prepared in shakes. The most common example is the Margarita.

Cups: Cocktails prepared with white wine, siders and liquors. They are served with cutted fresh fruit -stored in the freezer for two or three hours- and in big containers, even if they are drunk in small cups.

Egg nogs: Cocktails where the spirit or fermented drink is the basis, accompanied by milk, eggs and nutmeg in the preparation process. It can be served cold or warm.

Fizzes: Sparkling cocktails, with long sips, prepared with lemon juice, sugar and egg white, in combination with gin or any other spirit drink, supplemented with soda.

Flips: Creamy cocktails made with rum, sherry, marsala, sugar and egg yolk. They are usually served warm and accompanied by cinnamon and nutmeg.

Frozen: Half-frozen or ice-cocktails where the beverage has been mixed with a plentiful piece of crushed ice.

Grogs: Warm drink made with hot sugary water, mixed with liquor -usually rum but also with kirsch and cognac- that usually carries aromatizers like lemon.

Juleps: Refreshing drinks recognizable by the mint aroma, mixed in the preparation with Kentucky Bourbon, sugar, and thick crushed ice. Juleps are also prepared with scotch, rum and even brandy.

Pousse-café: Directly prepared in the glass, after pouring the heavier liquids -normally sweeter and thicker- and taking care not to mix them. Its highlight is the fring that each combined liquid have.

Sangría: A wine punch, made with red wine, sugar, chopped fresh fruit -normally pineapple, pears, apples and peaches- and sparkling water

Sours: Cocktails made with lots of lemon and sugar mixed with bourbon or any other whiskey.

Cocktails and design

The execution of a cocktail is important however, the decision about what cocktail is chosen for consumption comes into play beforehand. This can be heavily influenced by how the drink is portrayed before hand. For example, advertisements, menu design and description of the drink itself will either encourage or deter against the decision of what beverage is chosen.

One particular area of interest I have found is menu design. Depending how the menu is displayed, some drinks options may seem more appealing than others. Factors such as illustration, colour, layout all have an effect in aiding the final decision of what beverage will be consumed.

The menu design for 'The Whaling Club' below is a simple design that doesn't create a great difference between cocktails so that the audience isn't bias when choosing a cocktail. There is a stable equilibrium between drinks that is achieved through the use of a strong layout structure and a simplistic colour scheme which reflects the nautical name of the bar. The illustrative approach works well in reflection of this theme and the type selection is simple and to the point.

cocktail menu + drawings by Sarah Mullin + cleaver type

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/441000988481686389/

The 'Canelakes Island' menu has a vintage vibe that particularly reminds me of Hawaii, mostly because of the colour scheme. A washed out pink background with colourful drinks placed over the top creates a clashing effect like what is seen on typical Hawaiian floral shirts. The layout is simple and in block formation however is legible and understandable to the customer. Comparing this design to the previous 'Whaling club' menu, I'd put the target audience at an older age who do not have a great knowledge about cocktails or alcohol as the pictures and information provide everything there is to know about the content, appearance and process of how to make the drink.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mss2400/3905987053/

1967 cocktail menu, inside page spread -- cocktail menu from South Pacific - Hallandale, FL. This menu is very similar to the last however explores layout differently and gives less information about the drink which works in favor as the page doesn't include too much text so that the customer can focus on the image more so than description. Te plain white background works much better than a coloured background as the illustrations of the drinks stand out from the page.

http://www.arkivatropika.com/cgi-bin/tags.cgi?tags=%22Florida%22

The photograph below is of a Spanish cocktail menu and keeps with a simple digital illustrative design that is seen more in 'trend' and student bars of who the target audience are young professionals and students. The inclusion of a conversation about the cocktail reflects the stereotyped interest in socializing of the target audience. The simple use of colour works well and doesn't over complicate the page.The white text on black background is effective and creates more of a base to work from rather than being white background and black text.

http://www.menufamiliar.es/trabajos.php?px=9

I particularly like the design below which was found on Behance. The colour scheme is refreshing yet simple and stands out from the white background. The use of photographs with simple digital illustration creates an exiting and contemporary aesthetic.

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Summer-cocktails-menu/4524455

Baabar have a commonly used style of using colour block layers to depict what amount of alcohol and mixer is included in the cocktail. This info-graphical way of displaying content is easy to understand and doesnt over complicate the appearance of the menu.

http://www.baabar.co.uk/drinks-menu/#link-3

The design for the drinks menu at The Alchemist boasts a simplistic yet classic style. Strong sense of layout and structure make the menu readable and sophisticated. The cocktails themselves are listed with no photograph to mislead judgement when choosing drinks however are described in a manor to depict an image e.g.

White Cosmo £6.95

A frozen white orchid bathed in Green Mark Russian

vodka, St Germain Elderflower liqueur, white grape

juice and lemon bitters.

http://www.thealchemist.uk.com/pdf/alchemist_drinks.pdf

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Menu-Spring-cocktails-bar-PEOPLES/7340311

Packaging

Another aspect of cocktails that interests me is the packaging of products. Whether it be pre-mixed cocktails or the packaging, the difference that packaging can make on a product and how flavour is perceived from design is amazing. People now seem shallow almost when purchasing products depending on appearance.

'Om' is the world’s first organic, gluten-free, mixology inspired bottled cocktails. With organic vodka already included, the drinks are ready to pour straight over ice OM is also used as a liqueur by top mixologists and bartenders who love OM’s award winning flavor combinations. In terms of the branding of 'Om' the major aesthetic consists of organic ideologies resulting in the aged appearing papers, floral inspired design and simple, natural colour scheme.
I want to try OM cocktails!

http://omcocktails.com/

A rustic French cocktail bar use frost engraving on jars and bottles which adds an element of class and attention to detail. A brilliant alternative to paper labels on bottles! The simple idea is carried throughout the menu design of listing contents. This idea works really well on the example below however if overdone, it could give off the wrong ideology of aesthetic and look unprofessional.
Rustic, French Cocktail Bar

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/79657487129750631/

'Funkin' are a company that boast 100% natural fresh fruit cocktail mixers. The clean cut aesthetic strongly brands the company as being a solid, well prepared product. Simple yet effective running theme throughout the brand is to change the colour splash on the foiled packets of puree to coincide with the flavour contained so strawberry has a red slash, lime; green, passion fruit; orange etc.

http://www.amathusdrinks.com/funkin-strawberry-puree.html

ENKAJA's concept for 'Be your own barman' is a brilliant idea for mixing and creating your own cocktails at home without the necessary equipment. The sleek black cylinders that twist apart contain different spirits, mixers and liquors to make up a specific cocktail when shaken and mixed together. The simple design and unique shape create a sophisticated branding identity that is easily recognizable as it is an idea set aside from regular, pre-mixed cocktails.

http://www.behance.net/gallery/ENKAJA-Cocktail-branding-packaging-concept/5655639

A project found on Behance that was to create a new range of whiskey cocktails aimed to encourage woman aged 20-26 to try drinking whiskey. The Nelferch whiskey concept settled on a very feminine design aesthetic which used water colour and floral styles to capture the immediate attention of females. The spherical shape of the bottle instantly sets the brand aside from usual whiskeys sold in bars and supermarkets which creates independent identity. Feminine, curled type is used for the brand name and complimented by sans serif font for informative text.

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Nelferch-Whiskey-Cocktails/9558955

http://www.packagingserved.com/gallery/Materie-the-new-Winecocktail/7278439

Anchor is a company that produces clear, frost engraved cocktail shakers and cocktail stirrers in the shape of anchors. Although not branding alcohol, I like the strong aesthetic of this brand. It is clean cut, simple and sophisticated.